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Essay / Multiple Interpretations of the Bible in Paradise Lost
John Milton has a very distinct way of interpreting the Bible; it shapes the story of the Bible into a rich and imaginative narrative story. The story reads like a legend or fairy tale, but rather than provoking the reader's mind, it actually offers fewer possibilities for interpretation than the Bible itself. Through various assertions and interpretive strategies, Milton writes his own story of the Bible and shares it with the world to do with it as they will. The differences between the room for interpretation that the Bible gives the reader and that of Milton's Paradise Lost allow the reader to examine the thought patterns Milton considered when developing his ideas. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Milton lived in a tumultuous time in terms of religion; England ceded its Tudor monarchy to the Stuarts and Cromwell. The degree of religious freedom varied during this period, so Milton and the whole of British society probably had to develop fairly strong individual opinions on the issue in order not to fall subject to the vacillating public ideology that accompanied Christianity. Milton interprets the Bible in a very specific way that fits well with the idea of temporal viewpoints. In fact, he adds elements to the Bible, giving it a story unique to anything that has been written before. The fall of Lucifer and the war in Heaven are not mentioned at all in Genesis; these are additions of Milton's imagination. Satan laments: “The happiest Eden will enjoy its fullness / happiness upon happiness, while I am driven to hell” (290). The exclusion of Satan, not explicitly mentioned in the original Christian texts, is only described implicitly throughout Christian tradition. However, these additions relate to important themes in the Bible. The fall of Lucifer proves that God rules over all and is more powerful than anything else. He warns readers against the temptation of sin and Satan, giving very credible and seductive motives for Satan's actions. While the Bible generally gives only one perspective, according to the book, Milton expands the perspectives to include those of Satan and Raphael and encourages his readers to seriously consider them and their motivations (Raphael describes the creation story in lines 109 -275). Even Adam and Eve are portrayed very realistically through their dialogue as they recount the events of the story. Eve confidently understands God's command, saying of the infamous tree: "This, this easy burden, of all the trees/ In paradise that bear delicious fruit/ So diverse, not to taste this one Tree / Of Knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life, / If death approaches life, whatever death may be, / A terrible thing without doubt […]” (421-426). Milton seems to be telling his readers that the singular view of the Bible is not sufficient to understand the vastness embodied in God's dealings with others and the mutual trust that should be involved. This interpretation allows modern readers, or readers of his time, to identify with characters perhaps less deeply depicted in the Bible, thus understanding Milton's depiction of a multifaceted Christian life made possible for the whole of society. It is interesting to note that in the selections read in Paradise Lost, the emphasis on God was not very pronounced. The focus was instead on other characters, particularly Satan. Milton takes the liberty of telling the story of the fall of.